Hello

Hi Mark,

I retired early to come and live in Benidorm. I arrived here in 2014 and have enjoyed each day. Benidorm is made up of many nationalities and offers a very diverse way of life. All the Spanish people I know are always helpful and friendly. There is a large expat community who mainly look after themselves. 

Benidorm at the moment is a very different place and since covid has struck the whole city has become a ghost town. Hundreds of bars and restaurants have closed down and many have gone bankrupt. Hundreds of people are out of work and struggling to live. I don't know what sort of business you would like to start but I expect it to be very difficult to set up a viable business just now. Even the once bustling indoor market is in serious decline with 80% of the stalls closed.

I do see an upturn in the near future but I doubt it will be this year.

Do you understand all the requirements needed for living permanently in Spain since Brexit? 

To gain residency you will need to apply to the Spanish embassy while you are still living in the UK. You will need to show an income of €27,115.20 plus €6,778.80 for your spouse. You will both need private healthcare cover paid for a full year. Those are the basic requirements needed. To be self employed is difficult and expensive to get started.

Hope that has given you an insight to living here. Please ask as many questions as you like. There  are many posters on here that will help you. 

Steve 

Hi Steve 

Thank you for your reply, I would expect a lot of businesses are failing due to covid it is the same here in the UK. 

my original idea was find somewhere to live and then look at setting up , i sell service and repair stairlifts and other electronic equipment. i would even look at other types of work, 

our thoughts were to enjoy  a more relaxed way of living in a warmer climate and learn a new language get to know different culture so to speak . i am the type of person who can just chill for a few weeks then i get bored so always find things to do or help people out. so i was aware i would need to do some form of work this would also help fund our been out their. i am aware that we would require private health insurance etc. 

i will see what happens once the lockdown is over and we get to some form of normality. 

if there is anything else you can add or anyone else who wishes to add your experience and input please do the more information the better.

hope you are safe and keeping well in these hard times and who know maybe be able to meet up for a drink and a chat next time im over on holiday.

A couple of good websites to keep an eye on are the Citizens Advice Bureau Spain for bureaucracy and the N332 website for anything to do with driving in Spain.   The latter is run in collaboration with officers of the Guardia Civil for English speaking people and also has an English version of the Spanish equivalent of the Highway Code.